THATCHAM TOWN | BOURNE IDENTITY

New-boys up and running in Division One South

Thatcham Town picked up their first win of the season on Tuesday evening in the Pitching In Southern League Division One South as Oliver Bourne’s early goal proved to be the difference against fellow new-boys, Shaftesbury.

“It’s always a great feeling to get on the scoresheet, but it being the club’s first home game and win in this League made it extra special for me,” Bourne told us with a smile. “I was glad I could help give the fans the first win of the season.

“We had the better of the chances during the first half and could have gone in at the break three or four goals up, but our opponents started to see more of the ball after the break and we had to work hard.

“We proved to be very hard to break down and, in the end, we fully deserved our clean sheet and three points.

“The game was all about how we reacted to the defeat in our opening game; we know as a group the levels we have to reach and these last two games have proved that.

“The important thing now is to keep the momentum and hopefully add more wins. This is a tough League and we are learning more about it all of the time.

“There are a lot of new teams and players that we will be coming up against and I am excited to see what is in store for us.

“Personally, as a defender, my primary focus is on getting clean sheets and if we could get into double figures with this, I will be happy.

“As a group we have plenty of belief in ourselves and there is no reason why we can’t be challenging for the play-off places.”

Bourne is a product of the club’s youth ranks. His progress saw him get his first chance in men’s football during 2021/22 and from there he went on to establish himself in the first-team before dual registering with Reading City last term.

“The time with Reading City was really beneficial for me,” he added. “I was able to play my part in helping them reach the play-offs and lift the Southern Combination Challenge Cup.

“It has stood me in good stead for the challenges ahead here this season and I am looking to play my part in a successful season for the club.”

There’s a break from Division One South this weekend as they take on Andover New Street in the Emirates FA Cup.

IMAGE: Thatcham Town FC

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